Ice block releaser and storage bucket



, Sept.- 15, 1959 L M. KEIGHLEY 3,

ICE BLOCK RELEASER AND STORAGE BUCKET Filed Aug. 5, 1957 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

' [I d /W. [639/115 75?. I 40 HIS ATTORNEY Sept; 15, 1959 1. M. KEIGHLEY 2,903,365

- ICE BLOCK RELEASER AND STORAGE BUCKET A Filed Au 5. 1957 1 d M /2 3; BY 2y *2? 5/ 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 H/S ATTORNEY ICE BLOCK RELEASER AND STORAGE BUCKET Lloyd M. Keighley, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Application August 5, 1957, Serial No. 676,154

6 Claims. (Cl. 62-344) This invention relates to refrigeration and particularly to a portable combined ice block releaser and ice block storage bucket for use in conjunction with a household refrigerator.

An object of my invention is to provide a low-cost improved arrangement to be used with a refrigerator cabinet wherein the utility of an ice block storage bucket and serving element is increased.

Another object of my invention is to provide a combined element comprising an ice storage bucket having a support thereon for invertedly supporting a unitary freezing device including a tray containing separated ice blocks and a lid or cover pivoted on the element movement of which lid or cover about its pivotal mounting is utilized for releasing ice blocks from the tray of the inverted freezing device into the bucket.

A further object of my invention is to provide a lightweight covered portable combined freezing device support and ice block storage bucket element storable in a chamber of a refrigerator cabinet and removable at will therefrom wherein the cover thereof is inseparable therefrom by being pivotally mounted thereon and wherein the cover is swingable in a downward direction about its pivotal mounting while the element is located in the cabinet or without same to operate a means for mechanically releasing ice blocks from a unitary freezing device received and held stationary on the element into the bucket portion thereof.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a portable combined element of the character described in the foregoing objects which is sanitary and formed of non-metallic material whereby it can be handled and carried or transported whiie containing ice blocks from one locality to another without rapidly chilling a persons hands and causing the skin of the hands to stick or adhere to the element.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front view of a multiple chambered household refrigerator cabinet with its main door open and a part of an auxiliary inner freezing chamber door broken away showing freezing devices and a portable combined covered ice block releaser and storage bucket element of the present invention located in the freezing chamber;

Figure 2 is an enlarged broken vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 through the portable combined element of the present invention showing its cover opened and a unitary tray and grid type freezing device stationarily supported on a support thereon;

Figure 3' is a view similar to Figure 2 and shows grid walls. in a tray of a freezing device on the portable combined element tilted and ice blocks released from the freezing device into the element;

Figure 4 is a top View of the combined ice block releaser and storage bucket showing a part of its cover broken away; and

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 2 showing the pivotal mounting of a cam means and the cover on the combined element.

Referring to the drawings, for illustrating my invention, there is shown in Figure 1 thereof a refrigerating apparatus including an insulated household refrigerator cabinet 10 of the multiple chamber type in conjunction with which my portable combined ice block releasing and ice block storage bucket element or unitary device is to be used. Cabinet 10 is provided with a lower unfrozen food storage chamber 11 which is cooled to a temperature of from, for example, 37 to 43 F., by a plate-like sheet metal evaporator 12 of a closed refrigerating system associated with the cabinet. Evaporator 12 is secured to and spaced from the rear wall of chamber 11 behind a concealing cover or bathe 13. Cabinet 10 is also provided with an upper or frozen food storage chamber 14 which is cooled to a temperature well below 30 F. for freezing foods and/or for freezing water in freezing devices or containers, removably disposed in chamber 14, into ice blocks for table use in chilling salads or the like and drinks in glasses. Chamber 14 is cooled to a below freezing temperature by another evaporator 15 of the refrigerating system associated with cabinet 10. The evaporator 15 is in the form of a conduit coiled or wrapped around the outside of and secured to a metal can-like member 16 forming the liner of chamber 14. An auxiliary or inner door 17, shown broken away in Figure l, is hingedly mounted at the front of chamber 14 to provide a closure for the access opening thereof as is conventional in the art. Another larger insulated main door structure 18, hingedly mounted on cabinet Iii for horizontal swinging movement relative thereto, extends across the front of both chambers 11 and 14 and is provided with a resilient gasket 19 for sealingly engaging the front side of the refrigerator cabinet. A plurality of vertically spaced apart shelves 21 are secured, in any suitable or desirable manner, to an upright side wall of liner 16 of chamber 14 so as to be in metal-tometal contact therewith and consequently with evaporator 15. Each shelf 21 is adapted to receive and support, in an upright position, a unitary freezing device generally represented by the reference numeral 25 in Figure l and shown more clearly in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings.

Each of the unitary freezing devices 25 includes or comprises an elongated stamped sheet metal pan or tray 26 provided with a bottom, outwardly inclined sides and upwardly and outwardly inclined ends 27 and 28 (see Figures 2 and 3). The one or front end 27 of tray 26 is provided with an opening 29 adjacent a bent or rolled over rim 31 at the top of the tray. The other or rear end 28 of tray 26 is notched out as at 33 Which notch extends through rim 31 to a short distance therebelow. A metal bracket is welded to the end 28 of tray 26 and outwardly extending spaced apart cars 34 thereon are provided with a hole adapted to receive a pin or rivet 36 for a purpose to be hereinafter described. A mov able or tiltable walled grid and a grid wall actuating member are locked in tray 26 against detachment therefrom and the grid and grid wall actuating member together with the tray forms or constitutes one of the unitary freezing devices 25. The grid structure in a device 25 also includes a centrally located metal longitudinal wall or partition 41 and a plurality of spaced apart substantially inflexible metal walls 42 extending transversely across the longitudinal partition and loosely interlocked therewith or movably anchored in tray 26 to divide the interior of the tray into rows or compartments in which water is to be frozen into separated ice blocks. A longitudinally extending actuating member 43 lies over partition 41, when the freezing device 25 is in an upright position, and is movably interlocked with and adapted to engage the transverse walls 42. Cross or transverse walls 42 are normally disposed in an acute inclined or angular plane with respect to the vertical and are anchored in tray 26 in such a manner that they may be swung or tilted relative thereto and to partition 41 toward the vertical when member 43 is shifted lengthwise along the unitary freezing device. It is to be noted that the grid wall actuating member 43 is provided with an enlarged end 44 for a purpose to be described hereinafter. By virtue of the normal inclined freezing position of cross walls 42 the ice block compartments formed thereby in tray 26 are, in one vertical cross sectional contour or area therethrough, of a parallelogram shape. Thus when walls 42 are tilted toward the vertical, to break bonds between the grid walls and walls of the tray 26 and ice blocks therein, the compartments are enlarged in a direction intermediate the walls 42. This feature is not new since it is illustrated and described in the Donald H. Reeves Patent it 2,219,079, dated October 22, 1940, but it does, however, greatly contribute to the successful operation of a grid locked in a tray to mechanically eject or release ice blocks from a freezing device supported in an inverted position.

The cross or transverse grid walls 42 each have a vertically elongated key-hole shaped opening therein (not shown) through which the partition 41 and member 43 extend. This opening is so shaped in order to permit insertion of member 43 and partition 41 therein one after the other respectively during assembly of parts of the grid structure. The method of assembling the grid parts is now well known to those skilled in the art and a description thereof herein is therefore unnecessary. Partition 41 has a series of equally spaced apart notches 46 cut in its bottom edge to loosely receive a short web portion at the lower part of cross walls 42. The upper edge of actuating wall or member 43 has notches 47 of varying width cut therein and suitably spaced apart to receive continuous or web portions at the top of cross or transverse walls 42. The one edge of the varying width notches 47 engages the cross walls 42 progressively one after another in succession from end to end of a freezing device 25, when member 43 is shifted lengthwise relative to partition 41 and tray 26, to tilt the transverse walls out of their normal inclined position toward the vertical and to enlarge the ice block compartments for releasing ice blocks from the freezing device. The provision of openings and notches in various parts of an ice tray grid for movably interlocking the parts together is also now well known to those skilled in the art. Partition 41 is provided with a projection 48 at one end thereof which is inserted or fits into the closed walled opening 29 of tray end wall 27. The other end of partition 41 is provided with a punctured ear 49 which is slipped into notch 33 on tray end wall 28. The pin 36 is passed through the holes in ears 34 of the brackets secured to tray end wall 28 and through the hole in ear 49 of partition 41 and is peened over or riveted to thus lock partition 41, walls 42 and actuating member 43, movably interlocked thereto, within tray 26 against removal or detachment therefrom so as to provide a uni tary freezing device. Walls 42 and member 43 are thus movable within tray 26 while the grid remains locked in the tray of a unitary freezing device 25 which is devoid of a manually actuated leverage mechanism or the like thereon. By eliminating a force multiplying manually operated leverage mechanism from each of a plurality of unitary freezing devices 25 used in conjunction with a household refrigerator cabinet their manufacturing cost is materially reduced. I am aware that others have accomplished this feature and utilized a single means or leverage mechanism separate from the freezing device for acting on any selected one of a plurality of such unitary freezing devices.

My invention is particularly directed to the provision of a covered portable combined freezing device support and ice block storage bucket element wherein the cover thereof serves as a lever for operating a means to act on a unitary freezing device invertedly placed on the support of the element for releasing ice blocks from the freezing device into the bucket element. In other words my innovation resides in making a cover for a portable combined freezing device support and ice block storage bucket element serve a dual or two-fold purpose in addition to being inseparable from the element so that it cannot be misplaced. In the present disclosure a portable combined freezing device support and ice block storage element, generally represented by the reference numeral 50, is located in the freezing chamber 14 of refrigerator cabinet 10. The element 50 may be of any desirable size, is substantially rectangular in shape and is preferably molded from a suitable non-metallic material to provide a rigid light-weight structure. Element 50 includes a bottom 51, a front wall 52, a rear wall 53 and side walls 54 (see Figures 2 and 3). The top portion of front wall 52 and the two side walls 54 are shouldered as at 56 and this shoulder provides positioning rails or support means for receiving the rim 31 of one of the freezing devices 25 to invertedly support the unitary freezing device on element 50. The upwardly directed part 57 of front wall 52 of element 50 above the shoulder 56 forms a stop or holding means for a freezing device 25 as will be described hereinafter. Bucket portion of element 50 has an integral outwardly extending projection 58 on its front and back walls 52 and 53 which projections serve to provide slightly offset opposed handles for lifting and transporting the combined element to and from the refrigerator cabinet 10. The bucket portion of element 50 also has ears 59, inset from side walls 54 thereof (see Figures 3 and 5), integrally formed on its back Wall 53, above handle 58, which are drilled or bored out for the reception of a pin or shaft. The open top of the combined freezing device support and ice block storage bucket element 50 is normally closed by a closure means or cover 60 which rests on the upper edges of walls 52, 53 and 54. A part of the upper edge of side walls 54 of element 50 are inclined or disposed at an angle as at 61 (see Figure 2) and the cover 60 is shaped, as at 62, to conform therewith in order that the cover will close the bucket. The back end of lid or cover 60 is thickened and is cut out so as to receive the ears 59 on bucket portion of element 50. Thickened spaced portions 63 of this back end of cover 60, outside or laterally of the ears 59 on bucket 50 (see Figure 3), are provided with a round hole and the thickened end portion 64 of cover 60 inwardly of the ears 59 is provided with a square hole therein. A square metal insert or collar 66 is fitted in the squared hole of cover 60. A round pivot pin or shaft 67 extends through the round holes in portion 63 of cover 60 and through a round hole in insert 66 to pivotally mount the lid 01' cover on the bucket portion of element 50. The thickened end portion 64 of cover 60 is notched out to receive a metal cam means 68 (see Figure 5) provided with an extension having a side camming surface 69 thereon (see Figures 2 and 3). An aperture provided in cam 68 is squared and fits over or on the squared surface of collar 66 so as to be rotatable therewith and with or in response to swinging cover 60 about its pivotal mounting. Cover 60 is provided with an integral handle 71 on the end thereof opposite its pivotally mounted end to facilitate swinging of the cover about its mounting relative to the bucket portion of element 50. The cover 60 of the combined freezing device support and ice block storage element 50 may be swung about its pivotal mounting on the bucket portion thereof while the element is stored in freezing chamber 14 of cabinet 10 or the element may be removed from chamber 14 and supported aeogeee on a kitchen work ledge, a cocktail serving table or on a dinner table and the cover swung.

Assume that the covered portable combined element 50 is disposed in the freezing chamber 14 of refrigerator cabinet as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, that Water in an upright unitary freezing device 25 in this chamber is hard-frozen into separated ice blocks and that it is now desired to harvest some ice blocks. Main cabinet door 18 and freezing chamber or inner door 17 are opened. A unitary freezing device 25 is removed from its freezing support and the handle 71 of cover 60 on element 50, Within chamber 14, is grasped and swung upward for uncovering the bucket portion of element 50 to expose the support, rails 56, thereon. The removed unitary freezing device 25, together with the grid and ice blocks therein, is rotated into an inverted position and placed on top of bucket 50 with the rim 31 on tray 26 resting on the support or rails 56. It is to be understood that When the freezing device 25 is placed on the support means 56 with cover 60 opened at approximately a 45 or more angle enlarged end 44 of actuating member 43 registers with and abuts against the camming surface 69 on cam 68 and the rim 31 at the opposite end of the invertedly supported device 25 abuts the stop 57 as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. This is accomplished by the cam 68 being rotated in a clockwise direction at the time cover 60 was raised or swung open. Swinging of cover 60 in a downward or bucket closing direction will now rotate cam 68 in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Figures 2 and 3 and its camming surface 69 applies force to actuating member 43. The tray 26 of the unitary freezing device is held stationary on the support means 56 while cam 68 applies force to member 43 by virtue of the tray rim 31 being in abutment with the stop 57. When cover 60 comes to a stop against the top edge of walls of the bucket portion of the combined element 50 (see Figure 3) the actuating member 43 has been shifted lengthwise or to the left relative to and along the unitary freezing device 25. The wall portions of notches 47 have engaged and tilted the transverse grid walls 42 one after another in succession from end to end of the freezing device 25 and have progressively released or ejected ice blocks from their compartments of the inverted stationarily supported freezing device. Tilting of walls 42 toward the vertical relative to one another and to partition 41 and tray 26 breaks bonds therebetween and the ice blocks while enlarging the ice block compartments whereby the ice blocks fall into the storage bucket portion of the portable combined element 50. This ice block releasing operation can be performed while element 50 is disposed within chamber 14 of cabinet 10 and can also be performed when the element 50 is removed from the refrigerator and supported at a point remote therefrom. When the released ice blocks are to be dispensed or served from element 50 cover 60 is raised or swung open and the emptied freezing device 25 detached from element 50, with the aid of a handle or projection thereon not shown, whereby the ice blocks are rendered accessible. Cover 60 may be swung wide open or into an over-perpendicular position relative to bucket element 50 whereby a part of the cover adjacent its pivoted end rests on the one handle 58 to hold the cover open while ice blocks are being dispensed or served from the bucket portion of the unitary element 50. It is to be understood that one or more of the freezing devices 25 may be operated or acted upon as described one after the other in accordance with the quantity of ice blocks desired to be released into the storage bucket portion of element 50 without distorting a tray of a device 25 and while the tray is held stationary on the support means 56 with the grid locked in the tray.

It should be apparent from the foregoing that I have provided an improved covered portable combined freezing device support and ice block releasing element. In my improved element the hingedly mounted cover thereon in addition to closing the storage bucket portion thereof to maintain its interior in a sanitary condition also serves as a lever of a mechanism for mechanically ejecting ice blocks from an inverted freezing device supported on the element. By virtue of the length of the lever-like cover or lid very little force is required to move the cover downwardly to release ice blocks from a freezing device invertedly supported on the combined element. Since the cover is a part of the combined element and attached thereto it cannot become separated therefrom and misplaced. Insofar as my invention is concerned the cam means for shifting the grid wall actuating member could, if desired, be in the form of an integral part of or projection on the cover of the combined element and movement of the cover to perform the ice releasing operation could be in a direction other than a downward swinging movement thereof.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, as may come within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In combination, a portable combined ice block releasing and storage bucket element for use in conjunction with a household refrigerator having a cover pivotally mounted thereon and provided with a support for receiving and supporting a unitary freezing device, a freezing device containing ice placeable on the support of said combined element in an inverted stationary position thereon, said freezing device comprising a tray, grid walls anchored in the tray against detachment therefrom for tilting movement dividing the ice into separated ice blocks and an actuating member adapted to engage and tilt said grid walls relative to said tray, said cover being swingable about its pivotal mounting to open and substantially close said combined element, and means movable in response to a swinging movement of said cover for shifting said actuating member along the freezing device on said support to tilt said grid walls whereby ice blocks are released from the unitary freezing device into the ice block storage bucket of said element.

2. The combination defined by claim 1 wherein the grid walls are tilted one after another in succession from end to end of the unitary freezing device to progressively release ice blocks into the ice block storage bucket of the element.

3. In combination, a unitary freezing device comprising a tray and grid Walls anchored in the tray against detachment therefrom for tilting movement relative thereto, said walls dividing the interior of said tray into compartments in which water is frozen into separated ice blocks, a portable combined freezing device support and ice block storage bucket element having a cover pivotally mounted thereon, said freezing device together with said grid walls and ice blocks therein being rotatable into an inverted supported position on the support of said combined element, said cover being swingable about its pivotal mounting to open and substantially close the storage bucket portion of said element, and means responsive to a swinging movement of said cover for tilting said grid walls of said unitary freezing device invertedl-y supported on said support and releasing ice blocks from the device into the storage bucket of said element.

4. The combination defined by claim 3 wherein the grid walls are tilted one after another in succession from end to end of the freezing device to progressively release ice blocks from the device.

5. The combination defined by claim 3 wherein a fixed means on the combined element holds the unitary freezing device stationary on its support during tilting of the grid walls in the device.

6. In combination, a portable combined ice block releasing and storage bucket element having a cover element pivotally mounted thereon and swingable relative References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Blomqvist et al Nov. 11, 1941 Hedlund Feb. 29, 1944 Jennings et a1. Oct. 28, 1947 Strickland Nov. 6, 1956 Sharpe Oct. 8, 1957 Frei Oct. 15, 1957 Sharpe Apr. 8, 1958 

